Pipe aligning clamping device

ABSTRACT

A device for lining up and temporarily maintaining abutting ends of pipe sections in alignment preparatory to welding and permanently joining said sections. It comprises a plurality of companion clamps positioned and circumferentially spaced around a selected one of said pipe sections. Several chains, one short and two long, are operatively coordinated with and serve to link the several clamps together. Manually regulatable slack take-up and chain tautening means connects end portions of two of the encircling chains in a manner to draw the chains around the selected pipe section. Corresponding ends of the respective clamps project and provide circumferentially spaced jaw-like piloting guides which center and align the pipe sections. Setscrews or equivalent means on the projecting ends serve in a manner to retain the aligned ends for precision welding. This device saves time and material, dispenses with other tools, and takes the place of a helper.

United States Patent Haywood I [54] PIPE ALIGNING CLAMPING DEVICE [72]Inventor: Jesse B. Haywood, 141 Louise Drive, S.E., Concord, NC. 28025[221 Filed: Jan. 27, 1971 21] Appl.No.: 110,048

[52] U.S. Cl. ..29/200 P, 228/4, 269/131 [51] Int. Cl. ..B23p 19/00 [58]Field of Search....29/200 P; 219/161; 228/4, 44;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,992,322 2/1935 Nulf et al..269/130 X 3,480,270 11/1969 Gill ..269/13l 3,593,402

7/1971 Mori ..269/131 X Primary ExaminerTheron E. Condon AssistantExaminer-Neil Abrams Att0meyClarence A. OBrien and Harvey B. Jacobson[451 Dec. 5, 1972 [5 7] ABSTRACT A device for lining up and temporarilymaintaining abutting ends of pipe sections in alignment preparatory towelding and permanently joining said sections. it comprises a pluralityof companion clamps positioned and circumferentially spaced around aselected one of said pipe sections. Several chains, one short and twolong, are operatively coordinated with and serve to link the severalclamps together. Manually regulatable slack take-up and chain tauteningmeans connects end portions of two of the encircling chains in a mannerto draw the chains around the selected pipe section. Corresponding endsof the respective clamps project and provide circumferentially spacedjaw-like piloting guides which center and align the pipe sections.Setscrews or equivalent means on the projecting ends serve in a mannerto retain the aligned ends for precision welding. This device saves timeand material,

dispenses with other tools, and takes the place of a helper.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDnEc 5 I972 SHEU 1 OF 2 Trestle K WWm n H a w w. J

WW *Mm PATENTED DEC 5 I973 SHEET 2 OF 2 Jesse B. Haywood BY Q WW 19%;

1 PIPE ALIGNING CLAMPING DEVICE This invention relates to portabledevices, tools and implements which are expressly designed and adaptedto enable a user to center, line up and abut the coacting ends ofcompanion pipe sections preparatory to welding and uniting said sectionsand has to do with a structurally unique device which will effectuallyhandle the task at hand and will well serve the purposes for which ithas been devised.

It is a matter of common knowledge that persons working in the field ofendeavor above set forth have devised many and varied devices to centerand align pipe-ends as a step preparatory to welding and permanentlyuniting the same. For background purposes and as indicative of the stateof the art to which the present invention relates, attention is directedto the flange clamp for welding disclosed in US. Pat. 1,940,910 issuedto Daniel W. Hickey. This patent is cited here because of the fact thatit shows the use of chain means encircling a pipe section. Althoughquite unlike the invention herein disclosed the pipe aligning toolcovered in U.S. Pat. No. 2,872,888 and issued to George W. Kearney couldperhaps be regarded as exemplary art.

The device herein revealed is thought to be an advance in the art inthat it is light in weight and can be easily handled and transportedfrom place to place. It is appropriate because the construction is suchthat it can be appropriately fitted on like or similar pipe sectionsranging from small to large. Then too, it permits aligning and centeringeven if one pipe is larger than the companion pipe. It is simple andeasy to handle, is adjustable, is economical, saves time and materialand obviates the need for other tools and implements. Then too, it issuch in adaptability that is capable of being used in close placesdifficult of access and even high places and because the component partsare made of durable steel, it will serve its purposes for years, iscapable of use by a single user,and takes the place of a helper orfitter.

Briefly and when properly used the disclosed device facilitates liningup and temporarily maintaining oriented ends of two pipe sections inalignment as a step preparatory to welding and permanently joining saidsections. It is characterized by a plurality of companion clamps whichare adapted to be conjointly posi tioned at circumferentially spacedpoints around the exterior surface of one of the pipe sections only. Aplurality of individual chains are operatively coordinated with and linkthe clamps together. Manually regulatable slack take-up and chaintautening means is provided for adjustably connecting the free endportions of two of the several chains whereby all of the chains arecaused to snugly encircle said one pipe section. The clamps havecorresponding ends which are capable of extending and projecting beyondthe terminal end of the one pipe and they provide circumferentiallyspaced jaw-like piloting guides through the medium of which a terminalend portion of the other pipe section can be located, brought intoposition, centered and axially aligned with the first named pipesection. In addition, means is carried by the respective guides forsecurely fastening a coacting terminal end portion of the secondmentioned pipe section in a manner to retain it in a given positionprior to final welding.

More specifically stated it will be noted that the several clamps arecharacterized by a bottom clamp and a pair of lefbhand and right-handside clamps which when in use are situated on diametrically oppositesides of the coacting pipe section. Each clamp embodies an elongatedrigid plate having an inward flat surface provided with a pair ofcorrespondingly elongated spaced parallel rounds or rods which arelocated and fixed in a common plane'and are adapted to straddle and restdirectly on a coacting convex surface of said one pipe section.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective showing a fragmentary portion of onepipe section and showing it supported on a trestle or the like andshowing, what is more significant, the device hereinunder considerationand applied and readied for use.

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation showing the second length or sectionof pipe with the ends of the sections abutting and with the setscrew onthe projecting jaws tightened to center and line up the pipe-ends forwelding.

FIG. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and on an enlargedscale with parts in section and elevation and wherein all of thecomponent parts are illustrated.

FIG. 4 is a plan view on a small scale showing the device removed withthe chains spread out and the clamps diagrammatically illustrated.

Referring now to the views of the drawings and particularly to FIG. 3 itwill be noted that one clamp, referred to as the bottom clamp, isdenoted by the numeral 6. The complemental left-hand side clamp (FIG. 3)is denoted at 8 and the substantially diametrically opposite right-handside clamp is denoted at 10. Basically these several clamps are muchalike in that each clamp embodies a flat faced substantially rectangularrigid plate 12 whose inward flat surface is provided with a pair of likespaced parallel rounds or rods 14. These rods are commensurate in lengthwith the length of the plates (as brought out in FIGS. 1 and 2 inparticular) and the rods straddle and contact the convex surfaceportions of the pipe, one section being denoted (FIG. 2) at 16 and theother section at 17. The clamps are also alike in that each plate has areduced or end portion 18 which constitutes a jaw-like extension andwhich projects beyond the terminal end of the pipe section 16. Thisextension is provided with a screw threaded hole to accommodate thepointed end 20 of the threaded shank 22 of a T-shaped setscrew 24. Thecross head of the setscrew is denoted at 26. The extensions 18 providepiloting members and assist, as is obvious from FIGS. 1 and 2, in liningup the connectable ends of the first and second pipe sections 16 and 17(see FIG. 2). The two side clamps are the same in construction and, inthis connection it will be noted that the outer flat surface of theplate in each instance is provided with a substantially C-shaped adapterbracket 28. The end portions of the bracket provide turned incoordinating keeper hooks 30 and 32. A curved leaf spring 34 is providedand is fixed in place and the free end portions are releasablycooperable with the bill portions of the hooks 30 and 32 for obviouspurposes.

It will be noted that the bottom clamp 6 is not provided with theclip-equipped adapter bracket means.

There are several chains employed to encircle the surface of the pipeand the median chain of the group is a relatively short link-type chainand is denoted at 36. The left-hand chain, which is longer than thechain 36, is denoted at 38. The right-hand chain is denoted at 40 (FIG.3). The two chains 38 and 40 are the same in construction and are of anysuitable length and made up of links. One end link 42 of the chain 38 issuperimposed and fixed upon the plate 12 of the bottom clamp 6 asbrought out in FIGS. 3 and 4. Then too, one link 44 of the short chain36 is also superimposed on the plate 12 and is fixed thereto. Thus, thebottom clamp 6 has two chains one chain 38 at the right (FIG. 4) and theshort chain 36 at the left. It will also be noted that a free endportion of the chain 38 is denoted at 46 and that a selected link ofthis chain, for instance the link 48, is separably connectable with theclip-equipped keeper hook 32. A similar result in action is seen at theright in FIG. 3 wherein it will be evident that one end link 50 of theshort chain 36 is connectable with the keeper hook 32 and that a similarlink 52 of the chain 40 is connectable with the adjacent keeper hook 30.The free end portion of the chain 40 is denoted at 54 and it will beseen that one of the links 56 of this chain is connectable with the hook58 of a snap fastener 60, the spring of the snap fastener being denotedat 62. This snap fastener 60 is fixedly mounted on one leg of an L-shaped cleat 64. The other leg of this cleat is provided with a notch 66and end portions of the arms of the notch are provided with detents 68.This snap fastener 60 and L-shaped cleat 64 constitute component partsof the slack take-up device or means which functions to connect the twochains 38 and 40 together so that they will encircle and wrap around thepipe 16. The means further includes a suitably elongated sleeve 70having a screw threaded bore 72 (FIG. 3). The upper end of the sleeve isprovided with a fixed handle 74. The screw threaded bore serves toaccommodate the screw threaded shank 76 of a jack screw whose lower endis provided with a snap fastener 78 similar to the aforementioned snapfastener 60. The snap fastener 78 is provided with a hook 80 which isreleasably connected with the adjacent keeper hook 30 on the clamp 8 asbrought out in FIG. 3. The leaf spring of this particular snap fastener78 is denoted at 82. Thus, by connecting one snap fastener-60 with thelink 56 through the medium of the L-shaped cleat 64 and connecting theother snap fastener 78 to the keeper hook 30 on the clamp ,8 and thentightening the screw means 76, an end of the sleeve 70 abuts the cleatand the two snap fasteners are either drawn together or pushed apart,depending on whether the chains are to be tautened or loosened.

Once the several clamps 6, 8 and are properly located (as brought out inFIG. 3) and the several chains 36, 38 and 40 are positioned, the snapfasteners 60 and 78 can be connected and the chain encircling andtightening result desired can be attained. Then too, once the severalclamps and chain means is installed the projecting jaw-like extensions18 serve to permit the second pipe section 17 to be seated and lined upas brought out in FIG. 2, after which the setscrews 24 can be tightenedto keep the sections 16 and 17 centered and aligned for convenientpermanent welding.

As before mentioned this device is such in construction and performancethat one man either on the ground or at a level above the ground can useit satisfactorily. In fact it is comparatively light in weight andweighs only 5 or 6 pounds. It is reiterated too that it takes the placeof a helper, and as experience has shown, it can actually be applied toelbows (not shown) by one man.

It is believed that the construction of the several clamps 6, Sand 10will be clear, that the construction and coordination of the chains 36,38 and 40 is evident by examining the views of the drawings singly andcollectively. Then too, the slack take-up and tightening and retainingmeans is thought to be evident from FIGS. 1-3. Under the circumstances amore extended description is believed to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A device for lining up and temporarily maintaining oriented ends oftwo pipe sections in alignment preparatory to welding and permanentlyjoining said sections comprising a plurality of companion clamps adaptedto be conjointly positioned at circumferentially spaced points aroundthe exterior surface of one of said pipe sections, a plurality ofindividual chains operatively coordinated with and linking said clampstogether, manuallyregulatable slack take-up and chain tautening meansfor adjustably connecting free end portions of two of said chainswhereby all of the chains are caused to snugly encircle said one pipesection, said clamps having corresponding ends which are capable ofextending and projecting beyond a terminal end of said one pipe sectionand which provide circumferentially spaced jaw-like piloting guidesthrough the medium of which a terminal end portion of the other pipesection can be centered and axially aligned with said one pipe section,and means carried by said guides for securely fastening a coactingterminal end portion of said other pipe section in a manner to retain itin a given position prior to final welding, said clamps comprising abottom clamp, and a pair of side clamps which when in use are situatedon diametrically opposite sides of said one pipe section, each clampembodying an elongated rigid plate having an inward flat surfaceprovided with a pair of elongated spaced parallel rods in a common planeand adapted to rest directly on a coacting convex surface of said onepipe section.

2. The device defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein theoutward surface of the plate of each side clamp is provided with a fixedadapter bracket having turned-in anchoring links on which certain hooksof adjacent chains are detachably fastened.

3. The device defined in and according to claim 2,

and wherein each adapter bracket is provided with a fixedly attachedlongitudinally bowed leaf spring having free ends which are lined upwith and releasably cooperable with the bill portions of therespectively coordinating anchoring hooks.

4. The device defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein eachguide is provided with a screwthreaded hole, the fastening meanscomprising a T- shaped setscrew having a threaded shank which is screwedinto and through the coacting screw-threaded hole in a manner to mountthe shank in a position at right angles to the plane of said guide forend thrust engagement with a surface of said other pipe section.

5. A device for lining up and temporarily maintaining oriented ends oftwo pipe sections in alignment preparatory to welding and permanentlyjoining said sections comprising a plurality of companion clamps adaptedto be conjointly positioned at circumferentially spaced points aroundthe exterior surface of one of said pipe sections, a plurality ofindividual chains operatively coordinated with and linking said clampstogether, manually regulatable slack take-up and chain tautening meansfor adjustably connecting free end portions of two of said chainswhereby all of the chains are caused to snugly encircle said one pipesection, said clamps having corresponding ends which are capable ofextending and projecting beyond a terminal end of said one pipe sectionand which provide circumferentially spaced jaw-like piloting guidesthrough the medium of which a terminal end portion of the other pipesection can be centered and axially aligned with said one pipe section,and means carried by said guides for securely fastening a coactingterminal end portion of said other pipe section in a manner to retain itin a given position prior to final welding, said slack take-up and chaintautening means comprising, in combination, an L-shaped cleat having oneleg provided with a snap-fastener-hook which can be releasably connectedwith a selected chain link, the other leg having a keeper notch, asleeve having an internally threaded bore, said sleeve having one endprovided with a fixed cross-head providing a handle, the other endhaving end thrust engagement with said notched leg, and a jack-screwhaving one end screwed into the threaded bore of said sleeve, the otherend being provided with an integral accessibly usable snapfastener-hooksimilar to said first named snap-fastenerhook and adapted to bereleasably connected with an adjacent encircling chain.

6. A device for lining up and temporarily maintaining oriented ends oftwo pipe sections in alignment preparatory to welding and permanentlyjoining said sections comprising several individual clamps, namely, abottom clamp, and a pair of side clamps, said side clamps being adaptedwhen in use to be situated on substantially diametrically opposite sidesof the pipe section with which they are cooperable, each clamp embodyingan elongated substantially rectangular plate having a flat inwardsurface which is provided with a pair of fixed elongated spaced parallelrods located in a common plane and adapted to rest directly on acoacting convex surface of said one pipe section, each plate having areduced end portion constituting a jaw-like extension and said extensionbeingprovided with a screw threaded hole, a setscrew havmg a shankthreaded through said hole in such a manner that one end of the setscrewis adapted to clampingly engage the surface of a pipe section which isadapted to be lined up with said first named section, a first relativelyshort chain having ends connected with adjacent clamps, a second chainlonger than said first chain and having one end connectable with saidbottom clamp and links thereof connectable with one of the side clamps,and a complemental third chain of a length similar to the second chainand having one end connectable to a coacting side clamp and the otherend free, and slack take-up means embodying two adjustably connectedsnap fasteners, one of said snap fasteners being operatively connectedto the free end of said third chain, and the other snap fastener beingoperatively connected to a coacting end portion of the second chain.

7. The device defined in and according to claim 6, wherein said slacktake-up and chain tautening means comprises, in combination, an L-shapedcleat having one leg provided with said one'snap fastener and which canbe releasably connected with a selected link of said third chain, theother leg'hav'ing a keeper notch, a sleeve having an internally screwthreaded bore, said sleeve having one end provided with a fixed crosshead providing a handle, the other end of said sleeve having end thrustengagement with the notched leg, and a jack screw screwed into thethreaded bore of said sleeve, said jack screw having said other snapfastener provided on an end thereof.

1. A device for lining up and temporarily maintaining oriented ends oftwo pipe sections in alignment preparatory to welding and permanentlyjoining said sections comprising a plurality of companion clamps adaptedto be conjointly positioned at circumferentially spaced points aroundthe exterior surface of one of said pipe sections, a plurality ofindividual chains operatively coordinated with and linking said clampstogether, manually regulatable slack take-up and chain tautening meansfor adjustably connecting free end portions of two of said chainswhereby all of the chains are caused to snugly encircle said one pipesection, said clamps having corresponding ends which are capable ofextending and projecting beyond a terminal end of said one pipe sectionand which provide circumferentially spaced jawlike piloting guidesthrough the medium of which a terminal end portion of the other pipesection can be centered and axially aligned with said one pipe section,and means carried by said guides for securely fastening a coactingterminal end portion of said other pipe section in a manner to retain itin a given position prior to final welding, said clamps comprising abottom clamp, and a pair of side clamps which when in use are situatedon diametrically opposite sides of said one pipe section, each clampembodying an elongated rigid plate having an inward flat surfaceprovided with a pair of elongated spaced parallel rods in a common planeand adapted to rest directly on a coacting convex surface of said onepipe section.
 2. The device defined in and according to claim 1, andwherein the outward surface of the plate of each side clamp is providedwith a fixed adapter bracket having turned-in anchoring links on whichcertain hooks of adjacent chains are detachably fastened.
 3. The devicedefined in and according to claim 2, and wherein each adapter bracket isprovided with a fixedly attached longitudinally bowed leaf spring havingfree ends which are lined up with and releasably cooperable with thebill portions of the respectively coordinating anchoring hooks.
 4. Thedevice defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein each guide isprovided with a screw-threaded hole, the fastening means comprising aT-shaped setscrew having a threaded shank which is screwed into andthrough the coacting screw-threaded hole in a manner to mount the shankin a position at right angles to the plane of said guide for end thrustengagement with a surface of said other pipe section.
 5. A device forlining up and temporarily maintaining oriented ends of two pipe sectionsin alignment preparatory to welding and permanently joining saidsections comprising a plurality of companion clamps adapted to beconjointly positioned at circumferentially spaced points around theexterior surface of one of said pipe sections, a plurality of individualchains operatively coordinated with and linking said clamps together,manually regulatable slack take-up and chain tautening means foradjustably connecting free end portions of two of said chains wherebyall of the chains are caused to snugly encircle said one pipe section,said clamps having corresponding ends which are capable of extending andprojecting beyond a terminal end of said one pipe section and whichprovide circumferentially spaced jaw-like piloting guides through themedium of which a terminal end portion of the other pipe section can becentered and axially aligned with said one pipe section, and meanscarried by said guides for securely fastening a coacting terminal endportion of said other pipe section in a manner to retain it in a givenposition prior to final welding, said slack take-up and chain tauteningmeans comprising, in combination, an L-shaped cleat having one legprovided with a snap-fastener-hook which can be releasably connectedwith a selected chain link, the other leg having a keeper notch, asleeve having an internally threaded bore, said sleeve having one endprovided with a fixed cross-head providing a handle, the other endhaving end thrust engagement with said notched leg, and a jack-screwhaving one end screwed into the threaded bore of said sleeve, the otherend being provided with an integral accessibly usable snap-fastener-hooksimilar to said first named snap-fastener-hook and adapted to bereleasably connected with an adjacent encircling chain.
 6. A device forlining up and temporarily maintaining oriented ends of two pipe sectionsin alignment preparatory to welding and permanently joining saidsections comprising several individual clamps, namely, a bottom clamp,and a pair of side clamps, said side clamps being adapted when in use tobe situated on substantially diametrically opposite sides of the pipesection with which they are cooperable, each clamp embodying anelongated substantially rectangular plate having a flat inward surfacewhich is provided with a pair of fixed elongated spaced parallel rodslocated in a common plane and adapted to rest directly on a coactingconvex surface of said one pipe section, each plate having a reduced endportion constituting a jaw-like extension and said extension beingprovided with a screw threaded hole, a setscrew having a shank threadedthrough said hole in such a manner that one end of the setscrew isadapted to clampingly engage the surface of a pipe section which isadapted to be lined up with said first named section, a first relativelyshort chain having ends connected with adjacent clamps, a second chainlonger than said first chain and having one end connectable with saidbottom clamp and links thereof connectable with one of the side clamps,and a complemental third chain of a length similar to the second chainand having one end connectable to a coacting side clamp and the otherend free, and slack take-up means embodying two adjustably connectedsnap fasteners, one of said snap fasteners being operatively connectedto the free end of said third chain, and the other snap fastener beingoperatively connected to a coacting end portion of the second chain. 7.The device defined in and according to claim 6, wherein said slacktake-up and chain tautening means comprises, in combination, an L-shapedcleat having one leg provided with said one snap fastener and which canbe releasably connected with a selected link of said third chain, theother leg having a keeper notch, a sleeve having an internally screwthreaded bore, said sleeve having one end provided with a fixed crosshead providing a handle, the other end of said sleeve having end thrustengagement with the notched leg, and a jack screw screwed into thethreaded bore of said sleeve, said jack screw having said other snapfastener provided on an end thereof.